Liberals rely on Howard star power in Penrith

In the must-win seat of Penrith, it was clear the Liberals had reached their break-glass moment.

As it is written in Liberal lore: if in doubt, roll John Howard out.

They are, and so they did.

Former prime minister John Howard hit the campaign trail in Penrith with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Sports Minister Stuart Ayres, who is defending the seat on a margin of 6.2 per cent.Credit:Nick Moir

Mr Howard, a beacon of long and stable government in the eyes of many voters, hit the hustings with Premier Gladys Berejiklian and her Sports Minister Stuart Ayres on Monday.

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In a sign that Mr Ayres is perhaps not as recognisable as an MP on a 6.2 per cent margin ought to be, Mr Howard set about introducing him to shoppers at Penrith's Westfield shopping centre.

"This is your hardworking local member Stuart Ayres," Mr Howard said, as the trio were encircled by people eager for photographs with the former prime minister.

With not a heckler in sight, it was the love-in the Liberals had hoped for - something of a feat given the controversy around Mr Howard's recent character reference for convicted paedophile Cardinal George Pell.

"That's once in a lifetime, that is!," one especially pleased woman said, as she reviewed the photos on her phone.

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At a brief press conference after the parade, Mr Howard gave Mr Ayres his ringing endorsement for media to package into their daily digest of the campaign trail.

"In Stuart Ayres, you have someone who has represented western Sydney with enormous energy and great commitment," he said.

Privately, however, Mr Ayres' colleagues are worried about his prospects in Saturday's election. They fear a backlash from voters over his handling of the government's decision to rebuild Allianz stadium at a cost of $730 million.

Tapping a vein of outrage, Labor has made its opposition to the policy a key plank of its campaign, while repeating ad nauseam its pitch to voters: "schools and hospital before stadiums".

Ms Berejiklian has returned to Penrith throughout the campaign, including for the Liberal Party's campaign launch last week.

Against the backdrop of Penrith train station on Monday, Ms Berejiklian announced she would cap Opal card travel at $50 per week, saving local commuters as much as $600 each year.

A YouGov Galaxy poll published by the Daily Telegraph that morning had Mr Ayres facing a 5.5 per cent swing against him, while 48 per cent of the 550 voters polled said they were less likely to vote Liberal due to the government's stadium policy.

For his part, Mr Ayres did his best impression of self-confidence.

"Yeah I'm pretty certain I'll win on Sunday," he said. "I'll let Saturday be the only poll that counts. I'm very comfortable with what I'm hearing on the ground."